Winner Takes All. Cheryl Harper

After all, the Holly Heights Mustangs were always a strong team. When he’d finished medical school and returned to Holly Heights, he’d been pretty sure watching the hometown heroes tear up the football field was less important than making his mark as a surgeon.

      Unless his sister asked.

      And he’d been proud to see the way the students flocked around Rebecca, dedicated school counselor, and Stephanie and Jen. Here, Stephanie had managed to spark giggles with a little effort and a jerky conversation made up of a mix of English, Spanish and odd sign language.

      He caught her eye and shook his head, reminding her of his second rule, and then focused on his patients. He checked to see how wounds were healing. Bright eyes and clear noses indicated the meds he’d left were working. And all the mothers nodded when he asked about the basics: washing hands, brushing teeth and plenty of time to play. The mothers understood. Following up might help the kids believe, too.

      This town, Manzana, was an example of what clinics could do. It had been his first stop and his focus for the first six months. It was time to schedule a dentist and an optometrist. The beginning of the dry season was the easiest time.

      “Stephanie, do me a favor. Make a note. I need to talk to Dr. Wright about a clinic here. Manzana. Before September.” Then he gave a little boy, Hector, a high-five. He could hear her thinking loudly in his direction, but to his surprise, she pulled out her journal, made a note and shoved it in her backpack without a single comment.

      Growing up, he’d been able to count on hearing exactly what all three girls had thought about his clothes, his hair and his orders whenever it occurred to them.

      This time she smiled brightly. “At least you said favor.”

      “September. It’s when the rainy season starts. Hard to travel.” He wasn’t sure why he was explaining, but she pursed her lips and nodded as if everything made perfect sense. That felt better than it should. “I need to check in at the hospital.” He turned to survey the crowd of kids and the people lurking in the small doorways. His arrival always stirred up an audience. Almost never did he have to worry about what to do about it.

      This time he had the feeling if he left Stephanie here on her own, she’d either be elected mayor or wind up an accidental bride. “You better come with me. There’s a restroom.”

      Her reluctance to leave the center of town and the excited kids was easy to read. When she walked, she did so slowly. He shook his head, took her hand in his and headed for the hospital.

      The gaggle of girls whispering and pointing was his first clue something was up. His second was Stephanie’s cheeks, which had turned pink. Her glance at the crowd and then down at their joined hands helped him finally do the math. Amused at how little it took to make them the center of gossip, he squeezed her fingers. “Keep up, okay?”

      She wrinkled her nose. “Just like that, a whole town’s romantic hopes are dashed on the rocks of impatience.”

      He shook his head. “Doubt it. They don’t speak a lot of English.”

      Her laugh matched her steps: slow, reluctant, but he was glad to hear it. He squeezed her hand. When she squeezed back, he was surprised at how nice it felt to be holding her hand, his little sister’s partner in crime and one of the few women in the world whose good opinion mattered.